Holes is a photographic series that explores the phenomenon of sinkholes. The work consists of a compilation of images sourced from various media, reflecting on the challenges of documenting these unpredictable occurrences. The images vary in perspective, quality, and method, emphasizing the difficulty of capturing an event that is both abrupt and mysterious.

Central to the project is the abstraction inherent in the images. Jóhannsson draws a parallel between the act of a sinkhole consuming its surroundings and the function of a camera aperture allowing light to expose an image. This conceptual connection highlights the tension between disappearance and revelation, presence and absence. The collection also carries bodily and suggestive qualities, adding an indexical dimension to the work.

Beyond their visual impact, sinkholes reveal the fragility of human attempts to control nature. Despite efforts to predict, prevent, or contain them, these sudden ruptures expose the limits of infrastructure and planning, reminding us of the instability beneath the surface. Holes engages with this uncertainty, framing the sinkhole not only as a geological event but as a metaphor for collapse, disruption, and the failure of control.

All images ©Sveinn Fannar Jóhannsson